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Singapore to test self-driving buses

Singapore’s newest pilot project is a collaboration between the Land Transport Authority and the Nanyang Technological University . The agreement between the two sides inked on Wednesday came as the city state pushed ahead with its vision of using autonomous technology to help deal with the challenges posed by its limited land and labor. “Current efforts worldwide have been focused on autonomous cars; so this autonomous bus trial is the first of its kind in Singapore that will aim to improve road safety, reduce vehicle congestion, alleviate pollution and address manpower challenges,” NTU Chief of Staff Lam Khin Yong said in a statement. A lot more going on The buses to be used for the trial will be electric-hybrid vehicles, which have batteries that will be charged when the opportunity arises, for instance whenever the buses stop at a depot. The self-driving vehicles are expected to ferry commuters between the NTU compound and the nearby Pioneer MRT station. Earlier this week, Singapore said it would also seek…